Three arrested over Malaysian arms heist

Three arrested over Malaysian arms heist

MALAYSIA: Malaysian police said on Sunday they had arrested
three men, including two of their own officers, over a weapons
heist at a police camp in northeastern Terengganu state.

"We have solved the case," Terengganu police chief Hussin
Ismail told AFP. "We have arrested two police personnel and one
member of the public."

The officers were from the Kubang Badak police camp where the
theft took place early on Saturday. Police recovered all the
stolen arms and ammunition.

The heist, in which 21 guns and some 645 rounds of ammunition
were stolen, was the third such raid in recent years, heightening
fears of militant activity after a Muslim cult stole weapons in
2000.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said it was a relief the
weapons had been recovered, but that authorities had to prevent
similar security breaches. "Action taken must be able to prevent
a recurrence of such incidents," he was quoted as saying by the
state Bernama news agency.

Abdullah, who was in Terengganu for a separate event and had
earlier visited the police camp, said authorities were still
investigating motives for the theft.

Hussin earlier dismissed any suggestion of militant activity,
saying the thieves had intended to sell the weapons which
included 19 Smith and Wesson revolvers and two pistols, a
Browning and a Steyr.

Police said the weapons and ammunition were found Sunday
morning on the other side of the country, in Malacca state on the
southwestern coast. -- AFP